Abdominal appliance



May 8, 1928 v F. J. STUART upoug mn APPLIANCE Filed um 25. 1921 Jmnk J Patented May 8, 1928..

UNITED STATES IRLNK J. STUART, OIST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ABDOMINAL APPLIANCE.

Application filed larch 85, 1921. Serial No. 455,582.

The invention has for an object to effect improvements in the functional qualities of surgical belts and abdominal supports. It is also a purpose to improve wearing qualities and add to the comfort of the wearer, while still attaining security in the positioning and retention of the garment in proper place upon the person. It is an especial aim to provide means to prevent an abdominal belt' ing a view to avoiding distortion of the device abnormally from the ideal contours which might reasonably be expected to be maintained in various cases where the wearing of my garment is involved. I An important aim of the invention is to present a supporting garment which will permitand induce natural exercise-of abdominal and other muscles, strengthening them and maintaining ideal positions or contours. V

Additional. objects, advantages and features of invention will appear from the combination and relation of structural parts as hereinafter described and shown int'he drawings embodying my invention, wherein,

Figure 1 is a front view of my garment in use,

Figure 2 is a rear view thereof,

Figure 3 is an inside view of the device opened out. 1

There is illustrated a belt or support comprising a specially woven elastic fabric part 10, in which the elastic rubber or other strands 10'cxtend transversel horizontally so as to partly encircle the b0 y when worn, the central .part of this elastic part 10 .being the front of the garment and being intended to be adjusted centrally over the abdomen with its lower edge portion closely adjacent the lower boundary of the iliac region. The section 10 has the elastic elements each of which as usual runs continuously from one.

end to the other of the fabric 10 more widely separated at the central part than adjacent the ends, so that the elastic portion is broader in the middle part than at the ends, and by reason of the lesser compresstomach and sive effect to the unit of surface which is progressively less from the ends toward the middle, the abdomen is caused to assume a more properly rounded and symmetrical form contributing to healthy and normal conditions of development in many different kinds of cases. This structure diminishes any tendency to crowd the abdominal contents upwardly toward the chest. The elastic part is formed with an upper and lower border 11 and 12 in which the elastic fibers are more closely spaced than in the medial portion, so that the belt has strength at the edges to prevent sagging or distortion, which would occur-if the elastic element were even in strength throughout the breadth of the elastic part. Secured upon the upper edge of the elastic element 10, there is an openly woven or knitted fabric portion 13, in which a slip cord 14 is introduced, having its ends secured at respective ends of the belt, its central part extending outwardly through eyelets 15 at the front outer side of the garment. This is utilized to form a nonelastic upper edge on the belt which will be adjustable to accommodate the device readily to various waist measurements. Across the ends of the elastic portion'lO and the portion 13, there are secured nonelastic terminal pieces 16 of triangular form in the main, broader at the lower part than at the top, the elastic portion 10 having its lower edge alined with the lower edges of the terminal pieces 16. In practice the bottom edges of the pieces 16 are made from four to six inches in length, thus affording a very wide part for attachment of that part of the leg pieces which is most effective in retaining thebelt against slipping upward. The form of the terminal pieces is such that when the device is adjusted upon the wearer, the end edges will readily fall into or nearly into parallel relation, as shown in Fig. 2.

vEach terminal piece is eyeleted adjacent its outer vertical edge to receive a suitable lacing 17, and a moderate'stiifening of whale bone or other suitable material is incorporated in the pieces, as indicated at 18.

Leg pieces 19 are attached to the lower edge of the garment, which are formed of a suitable knitted or other fabric adapted to readily accommodate itself snugly to the upper portions of the limbs of the wearer. These leg portions have their upper parts cut away at the inner sides, forming crotch nection owing engaging edges in the manner indicated at 20 in Fig. 3, so that only the outer side portions of the legs extend fully up to the belt body, and when the device is a justed upon a person the upper edge portions of the leg elements at the inner sides of the limbs extend upwardlyand outwardly so that a con siderable spaceis provided between the points of their junction with the belt both at front and rear, the space being considerably greater at the rear than at the front. It should be noted that the crotch edge 20 of the leg piece at the rear is connected to thepiece 16 intermediately of its width, so that for a considerable distance toward the hips the lower part of the belt cannot slip.

upwardly relativel to the point of conto t e tendency of the'nonelastic material to oppose such distortion. Yet there is elasticity in the belt proper thereabove; It .should also be considered that while the pieces 16 limit the elasticity of the belt at the back this limitation is.

progressively less from the bottom, where practically no expansion and contraction is necessary'in the back, toward the top, where elasticity is desirable in order not to confine the waist unduly. In attaching retaining elements to the lower edge of such a belt at widely different oints, as indicated at 21 in Fig. 1, where t e body of the elastic material immediately adjacent is subjected to even pressure, the intervening part between the two leg elements will tend to yield and bulge outwardly, causing a distortion of the abdomen which would involve a seriousdeformation in obstetrical cases, or possibility "of rupture or other lesions in other cases.

It is not racticable to use a non-elastic element to ridge this gap, as there would then be resented against the abdomen an area wit out local elasticity which would be irksome to the wearer, and also involve ter compression of the immediately eoned parts. .I have found that thebelt at unsupported parts may be caused to retain its proper formwith'adequate elasticity by the use of a section ofcelastic of slightly greater'tensile strength than the parts 11 and 12, as indicated at 22where, a portion ofsuch elastic is. rovided on the section 10 along its lower edge and overlapping that edge the upper cut away edge portion of the l elementstermi at 4 've the and ends 0' H213 whi 0d rtions are attach sui :iI -ehstic terminal ieoes 28. portions 20 are 'suiti-b y-borderedwith nonelaatic material, asillmtrated se- Iretentionof the device is'facilitated. ge eep tfiqw w w fib device are attached to the lower edge, of. the belt body intermediately of the bases of the non-elastic terminal elements 16. When the device is worn, the leg elements 19 fit snugly upon the limbs of the wearer and with the belt, body form a continuous smoothl fitting garment extending upwardly over t e outer sides of the hips and forwardly upon the abdomen. The edge portions 20 with'their reinforcements engage securely in the-crotch of the wearer but with suflicientspacing be-. tween their proximal partsto assure comfort, ventilation, and ease of the wearer in all respects, while at the same time securely retaining the appliance against slipping upwardly or downwardly out of position and enabling it to maintain a firm-evenly distributed pressure over the entire abdomen possible in ideal form. In the wearing of this garment the mus"- cles of the abdomen are ermitted to expand at each inspiration of tlie breath, as in nature. But, whereas the unsupported muscles might b reason of' excessive strain, distortion, lac of oontractibility, ,or because the tissues are scar tissues, fail, to return pzomptly to initial position, and would then still somewhat abnormally distended holding all parts securelyand as nearly as to normal condition enabling them tobe self susta" finally.

What is claimed is:. In an slbdgedmma' l garment for theb urposes in ca a supporting we ing adaptedto oovdr substantiall the entire abdomen and comprising a we elastic siriicipally by extension of-the horizontal tical so 'as to be divergent from the sively and continuous] les-from said ends.

presive efieet- 'r unitfof area ls'p 00 from their natural state, when my garment ension of the belt, and consisting of'- transverse elastic threads woven with web towardthe middle, an means to secure, the

edge web upon the person, including-meme to tediimony' whereof -I have 

